Comcast
has characterized the standoff as a run-of-the-mill business
negotiation. It said the new interconnection fees were appropriate
because Level 3 was suddenly dumping a disproportionate amount of
traffic onto the cable operator's network.

Now network services
provider Global Crossing -- which like Level 3 serves business Internet
customers and not residential subscribers -- has officially weighed in
on Level 3's side of the dispute.